Process of manufacturing oil gas



Oct, 3,1933.

L. B. HARRIS 1,928,784

PROCESS OF-MANUFACTURING OIL GAS Filed Dec.

INVENTOR BY W m EYs LEO/VA 1P0 BQHARR/J Patented Oct. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING OIL GAS Leonard B. Harris, New York, N. Y., assignor to International Oil Gas Corporation, Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application December 5, 1931. Serial No. 579,240

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to a prossess of manufacturing oil gas and the primary object resides in the generation of high B. t. u. oil gas formed through the dissociation and recombinaoil.

The present application is a continuation in part of my application for patent for Oil gas generator Serial No. 405,913 filed November 9, 1929, now Patent No. 1,894,990.

An object of this invention is to introduce a continuous supply of jets of steam, disposed in a circular row and spaced apart, into each of a plurality if closed retorts which are subjected externally to a constant source of intense heat and which are preferably made of nickel having catalytic properties, the steam acquiring a temperature of approximately 1800 F., and in the presence of the nickel catalyst a major portion of the steam becoming dissociated into free hydrogen and oxygen, thus providing a predominance or concentration of hydrogen in the retorts.

Another object of this invention is to subject the hydrocarbon oil supply for each retort to pressure in an intermittently operated atomizing mechanism to atomize it into an intermittent mist-like spray while being introduced into the retorts.

Another object of this invention is to introduce each atomized oil spray into the central portion of each individual retort and at the center of the circular row of jets of steam intermittently thus preventing continuous chilling of the retorts and maintaining the said desired high temperature.

Another object of this invention is to subject the intermittently atomized oil in the said retorts to an externally applied intense heating medium that does not come into actual contact with the oil and which causes a temperature rise high enough to completely crack in a single step the complex hydrocarbon oil into lighter hydro-' carbons, the cracked hydrocarbons combining with the hydrogen from the dissociated steam already present in the retorts and forming high B. t. u. oil. gas'in each retort intermittently.

Another object of this invention is to operate the retorts in the entire generator in a predetermined timed sequence or rotation to maintain .and make oil gas at said temperature and thus generate a continuous supply of high B. t. u. oil 'gas from the generator as a whole,

With the above and other objects in view the invention will be hereinafter more particularly disclosed, andthe operation of a preferred form paratus. tion of the elements of steam and hydrocarbon of apparatus in whichto carry out the process will be described. It is however understood that the process is not limited to any particular ap- Reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a preferred form of apparatus comprising my high 5 B. t. u. oil gas generator in combination with a gas scrubber shown partly in side elevation and partly in section attached to the oil gas generator. Figure 2 is a vertical section through one of the retorts in entirety, together with its individual hydraulically and intermittently operated atomizer.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention reference character 1, indicates a metal container, preferably circular in cross section, that is lined on the inside with refractory material 2, such as brick. The lower portion 3, of the container represents the combustion chamber proper into which fuel can be introduced through the side walls of the device by means of burners (not shown), or in any other convenient or desirable way. The top of the container 1, is covered by means of the metal plate 4, that is provided with an outlet at the center to which the stack 5, for waste products of combustion is connected. A damper 6, is ,provided in the stack.

An annular header 7, made of a high heat resisting alloy containing a metal such as nickel, for example, which will act as a catalyst, is connected to the lower side of the cover 4, and surrounds the opening through which the waste products pass to the stack 5. The header '7, is connected to the cover 4, by means of the bolts 8. A circular row of retorts 9, also made of high heat resisting alloy, which may contain a metal such as nickel, for example, to act as a catalyst, having their lower ends closed, depends from the lower side of the header 7, with their upper open ends extending into this header. A disk-shaped baflle 10, of refractory material is suspended by means of rods 11, from the cover 4, within the row of retorts 9, below the opening for the stack 5.

A row of tubes 12, containing a very high percentage of nickel or other catalyst, corresponding in numbers and centers to the retorts 9, having smaller external diameters than the internal diameters of the retorts 9, extends through the cover plate 4, almost to the bottom of the retorts 9, and have their lower ends open. The upper ends of the tubes 12, are threaded and are screwed no into threaded openings in the plate 4. Lock nuts 13, clamp the tubes in place in the plate 4. Atoming contactor 16' and a sight feed 16" leads to a heating coil 17, that is located in the lower end of the stack 5. A pipe 18, leads from the coil 17, to the annular header 19, located above the plate 4. Branch pipes 20, lead from the header 19, to the atomizers 14.

An oil reservoir 21, contains a plurality of single acting intermittently actuated individually timed oil measuring pumps 48, of a well known sort, and pipes 22, lead from these pumps to the respective atomizers 14.

It is to be noted that the word timed as applied to the pumps, employed .in combination with the otherapparatus comprising this invention, relates to the sequence or rotation in which the impulses or delivery strokes of the individual pumps are operatively related with respect to,

stood that there is a plurality of other similar pumps 48, behind and in line with the one shown, as just mentioned.

An oil gas outlet pipe 23, leads from the header '1, to a gas scrubber 24, of awell known type. The outer periphery of the scrubber 24, being partly broken away to show a water level therein as indicated by W. L. A valved branch pipe 25, is connected to the pipe 23, and a branch pipe 26, leads into a sump 27, that contains liquid of suflicient depth to seal the lower end of the branch pipe 26. A pipe 28, for washed gas leads to a gas box 29, from which a pipe 30, with a test cock 30 leads to a gas main or place of consumption of the gas (which is not shown).

Each one of the atomizers l4,v (Fig. 2) at. the upper ends of the tubes 12,-comprises a body portion 31, having a flange 32, that rests upon the upper end of the-tube 12. A threaded thimble 33, keeps the body portion 31, in firm contact with the tube 12. An opening 34, is provided in the side of the atomizer for the pipe 20, and a port 35, leads from the opening 34, to an annular space 36, at the lower end of the body portion 31. A ring or nozzle 37, having a circular series of spaced holes '38, therethrough is screwed upon the lower threaded end of the body portion 31, of the atomizer, so that the holes 38, communicate with the annular space 36. These holes may be parallel, inclined or spiral.

A central hole 39, extends through the body portion 31, and a conically shaped valve seat 40, is provided at the bottom. An atomizer spindle 41, with a conically shaped lower end to form a valve is located in the hole 39. A head piece 42, is threaded upon the upper end of the body portion 31, and is provided with a central opening through which the spindle 41, extends. A hole 43, is provided in one side of the head piece 42, for the oil pipe 22. A flexible diaphragm 44, is placed at the upper end of the spindle 41, and is clamped to the spindle by threaded nuts on opposite sides of the diaphragm. The peripheral circumferential edge of the diaphragm 44, is clamped in place I against a shoulder in the head piece 42, by means of a hollow threaded nut 45, screwed into the internally threaded recess 46, in the head piece 42. A compression spring 47, is interposed between the top of the hollow nut 45, and the upper nut on the spindle 4'1, tending to keep the valve 40,-closed. The hole 43, enters the head piece 42, at a point below the diaphragm 44, so that oil under pressure entering through the pipe 22, will cause the diaphragm to yield and the spindle to lift in synchronism with the timed oil measuring pumps.

The operation is as follows:

The oil gas generating retorts are heated by combustion of fuel in the lower portion 3, thereof and the hot products contact with the outside of the retorts 9, and pass around the edge of the baille 10, into the stack 5. Water in an amount that is regulated by the regulating contactor 16' passes into the heater 17, where steam is generated and passes into the header 19, and from thence into the atomizers, finally passing through the holes 38, in a series of small continuous jets of steam into each of vthe respective tubes 12. Oil passes intermittently from the oil measuring pumps 48, in the reservoir 21, through the pipes 22, into the atomizers 14, below the diaphragms 44, thereby causing the diaphragms to slightly yield by hydraulic pressure at each impulse or delivery stroke of the timed oil pumps and raising the atomizer spindles intermittently of! their seats 40, to introduce into the central portions of the retorts the desired amount of atomized oilto meet the jets of steam which have become highly superheated in the tubes 12, while awaiting the intermittent injection of the oil, where the jets of steam and oil are projected one across the path of the other and the superheated steam further effects a very fine atomization of the oil, and the steam and oil become intimately mixed. The mixture travels down the tubes 12, and upon coming into contact with the heated walls thereof becomes heated to a sufficiently high temperature to cause dissociation of the major quantity of the steam present' in the tubes into free hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of the nickel catalyst and reaction between hydrogen and carbon, thereby producing high B. t. u. oil gas which passes intermittently out of the lower ends of the respective tubes 12, into the annular spaces between the retorts 9, and tubes 12, and thence as a continuous 1 supply of high B. t. u. oil gas from the generator as a whole through the annular header 7, and the pipe 23, into the scrubber and finally to the gas mains.

It is to be noted that while the steam is supplied in continuous jets and the oil is supplied intermittently as previously mentioned, that it is advantageous to have a surplus supply of steam as the experiments on'my oil gas generator have shown that the quantity of initial steam has very little bearing on the quality of the gas, as apparently the hydrocarbons combine with a definite quantity of hydrogen from the dissociated steam and the surplus steam is carried over and condensed in the scrubber. Moreover, it is desirable to maintain a surplus of steam to surround and act as conveying means for the centrally disposed atomized oil in order that the oil will not immediately come in contact with the walls of the retort tubes and the process may be effectively carried out continuously without the formation of carbon on the walls of said retort tubes. The excess steam also serves to prevent carbon deposits in the retorts.

accegzsa The following is given as a specific example of carrying out the process, but it is to be under= stood that the invention is not restricted to the particular example of proporions, etc.

Oil such as petroleum, for example, is introduced with steam into the tubes 12, and the oil gas generator is fired at such a rate that the temperature around the retorts 9, is approximately 1600 F. to 1900 F.

At temperatures used in this process some of the oil is doubtless cracked to form lighter hydrocarbons before the gas is produced.

I claim:

1. The process of generating oil gas formed through the dissociation and recombination of the elements of steam and hydrocarbon oil, which consists in introducing a continuous supply of circumjacent jets of steam into each of a plurality of retorts which are constantly heated externally to a temperature of approximately 1800 F., the retorts being of a metal having catalytic properties and at said temperature causing superheating and dissociation of the steam therein into hydrogen and oxygen, in subjecting the oil supply for each retort to pressure in an individual atomizing mechanism to atomize it, in intermittently introducing the atomized oil into the center of each of said retorts and of said circumjacent jets of steam to break up the hydrocarbons, and to allow intervals between the injections of oil during which said temperature is reached and the superheated steam dissociates, the hydrocarbons combining with the hydrogen from the dissociated steam and forming oil gas in each retort intermittently and in operating the said retorts individually in a timed sequence to maintain and make oil gas at said temperature and generating a continuous supply of oil gas from the generator as a whole.

2. The process of generating oil gas formed through the dissociation and recombination of the elements of steam and hydrocarbon oil, which consists in introducing a continuous supply of steam into each of a plurality of retorts, in heating said retorts to a temperature sufliciently high to dissociate the steam into hydro; gen and oxygen, in atomizing the oil supply for each retort in an individual atomizing mechanism, in intermittently introducing the atomized oil into said retorts to allow intervals between the injections of oil during which said temperature is reached and the steam dissociates in the respective retorts, the hydrocarbons combining with the hydrogen from the dissociated steam and forming oil gas in each retort intermittently and in operating the said retorts individually in a timed sequence to maintain and make oil gas at said temperature of dissociation and generating a continuous supply of high B. t. u. oil gas from the generator as a whole.

3. The process of generating oil gas formed through the dissociation and recombination of the elements of steam and hydrocarbon oil, which consists in introducing a continuous supply of circumjacent jets of steam into each of a plurality of retorts, in heating said retorts to a temperature sufiiciently high to dissociate the steam into hydrogen and oxygen, in atomizing the oil supply for each retort in an individual atomizing mechanism, in intermittently introducing the atomized oil into the center of each of said retorts and of said circumjacent jets of steam to allow intervals between the injections of oil during which said temperature is reached and the steam dissociates in the respective retorts, the hydrocarbons combining with the hydrogen from the dissociated steam and forming oil gas in each retort intermittently and in operating the said retorts individually in a timed sequence to maintain and make oil gas at said temperature of dissociation and generating a continuous supply of high B. t. u. oil gas from the generator as a whole.

4. The process of generating oil gas, which comprises introducing. a continuous supply oi! steam into each of a plurality of retorts, in heating said retorts to a temperature sufficiently high to dissociate the steam into hydrogen and oxygen, in cracking hydrocarbon oil in each retort separately and at intervals when the temperature therein is high enough to dissociate the steam and causing the hydrogen to react with the products of said oil cracking step, and in operating the said retorts individually into a timed sequence to maintain and make oil gas at said temperature of dissociation and generating a continuous supply of high B. t. u. oil gas from the generator as a whole.

5. The process of generating oil gas, which comprises introducing a continuous supply oi! circumjacent jets of steam into each of a plurality of retorts, in heating said retorts to' a temperature sufficiently high to dissociate the steam into hydrogen and oxygen, in atomizing the oil supply for each retort individually, in intermittently introducing the atomized oil into thecenter of each of said retorts and of said circumjacent jets of steam, in causing the jets of oil and steam to be projected one across the path of the other. in causing reaction between the hydrogen and the atomized oil in each retort intermittently and in operating the said retorts in a timed 

